Why Choosing The Right Entertainment Format Made Softcat’s Manchester Celebration Unforgettable
One of the questions I’m asked most often by corporate event organisers isn’t how much I charge or what my show involves.
It’s much simpler.
“Should we book close-up entertainment, a stage show… or both?”
There isn’t a single answer because every event has its own atmosphere, audience and objectives. Sometimes one style is exactly right. Other times, combining both creates a much more memorable experience.
Softcat’s quarterly team celebration in Manchester proved to be a perfect example.
Performing at a Corporate Office Launch in Altrincham, Manchester
There is something psychologically interesting about office launch events.
They sit somewhere between a corporate function and a social celebration. Part business. Part party. People arrive still carrying traces of “work mode” with them, yet the entire purpose of the evening is usually to encourage connection, conversation and excitement about the future.
Performing Corporate Shows at Old Trafford, Manchester
Looking back now, the corporate events that probably shaped me most as a performer weren’t necessarily the biggest or most prestigious.
Many of them happened through a series of corporate events held at Old Trafford in Manchester roughly a decade ago whilst working regularly as a corporate entertainer in Manchester. The events were organised by a travel industry company called TIPTO, and over the course of around eighteen months I found myself regularly travelling around the UK performing at their “Super Shows” alongside comedian and compère Jed Stone.
What BIBA Taught Me About Trade Show Entertainment
One of the biggest misconceptions about exhibition entertainment is that it exists purely to create noise.
Good trade show entertainment should do far more than simply attract a crowd.
It should create conversations.
Introduce opportunities.
Generate momentum.
And ultimately help companies connect with the right people.
That became particularly clear to me while working at the BIBA Conference and Exhibition in Manchester for Proximo Ltd.